The secret’s out: you guys know I’m a serial overpacker. As I prepared for my South America adventure, starting with at least two months in Peru, I briefly fantasized that this might be the trip. The one where I pack like one of those people, those people who travel the planet for years on end with little more than a quick-dry tee-shirt and three pairs of seamless underwear. I’ve read their six point packing list posts and thought, could that be me?

Well, ladies and gentleman, I don’t want to keep you in suspense here — that is not me. Part of me wants to just slink away in my obscenely oversized backpack filled with not two, not four, but twelve pairs of socks and rock back and forth on it like an overturned turtle and hiss at all those carry-on toting travelers that sashay by. But then I decided to just own it, ’cause I figure I must not be the only one out there. In fact, I’m going to start us a support group. It’s going to be called Yes In Fact I do Need Both Stylesof Jeggings Thanks For Asking and we’ll meet at the Extra Baggage Fees counter. Yup, that’s right, come and get us you light packing enthusiasts! I packed THREE paperback novels!

So, ahem. My system. Clothes, shoes, toiletries and accessories go in my Osprey Aether 85L Backpack. I have such a huge pack because typically I have my dive gear stuffed in there as well — as I have such a long dive-less stretch for this trip I’m planning to have it shipped to me once I hit Central America. Gear and electronics, also known as my mobile office, go in my new Eagle Creek Afar Backpack. I have a simple canvas bag that is my day-to-day travel purse, where I carry my wallet and other daily essentials. When I fly, I check the Osprey and carry on the Eagle Creek and the canvas bag — Eagle Creek in the overhead, canvas bag at my seat. When I travel overland, I throw the Osprey on my back and the Eagle Creek on my front with the canvas bag tucked inside.

I’m also bringing a few things that are temporary and therefore I’m leaving them off my main packing list. Those include notebooks, notepads, and pencils for the village visit on my Iquitos cruise itinerary, a pile of travel magazines I’ll read in transit and give away, and some seriously threadbare warm weather clothes that I’ll toss on my way out of my first stop, Iquitos.

Clothes and Shoes

Note: I’ve updated this post with changes I made to my packing list along the way!

With the exception of the Lululemon jacket my mom gifted me and the Calvin Klein leggings I bought at Marshalls for $20 (and had hemmed for $10, yay for short people taxes) nothing in this category is new for this trip. Certain things like socks and underwear I purposely overpacked, as those anyways seem to go missing when I get my laundry done and if you ever tried to shop for underwear in Indonesia you’ll understand why I like to have spares.

• 3 long sleeve tops
• 2 1 tee shirt (one got tossed for being threadbare)
• 6 tanks
• 3 layering tops (one Lululemon jacket, a generous bon voyage gift from my mom, one Scottevest that I received at TBEX, and one shrug-like thing I take everywhere as seen in this post)

• 4 3 shorts (one pair of jean shorts, one pair of khaki shorts, two one pair of exercise shorts)
• 5 4 pants (one pair of full length black leggings, two one pairs of athletic capri leggings, one pair of ultralight jeans that I bought last year from Forever 21 for about $10, and one pair of light cotton pants)

A note about packing cubes:As you can see from the photos below, packing cubes are going to change my life. I’m sure of it. A year ago I picked up two Eagle Creek Pack-It Half Cubes and they were awesome for keeping my undies and bathing suits sorted. So I was overjoyed when Eagle Creek sent me a Pack-It Specter Cube Set and a Pack-It Specter Compression Cube Set to add to the mix. Already I feel I’ll soon be a full-fledged member of the Packing Cube Cult. These things are amazing!

Toiletries and Accessories

• 1 bag of jewelry (one belt, one bracelet, two earrings, three necklaces)

• 2 bags of toiletries (basically everything in my toiletries post except I left behind the baby powder and the dry shampoo)

• 1 bag of makeup (Again, everything from my toiletries post, except the perfume samples and lipgloss ran out and I didn’t replace)

• 1 shower bag (Once again, see that toiletries post… however, I’m making one major change. I’m really excited to be trying out solid shampoo! Lush is my favorite kind of company — they don’t test of animals, they use eco-friendly, plastic free packaging, and they’re reasonably priced. The sales guy estimated based on my hair length and wash frequency that this will last me two months! Also in this bag is a sarong and a small ultra-absorbent hair towel.)

• 1 medicine bag (I know everyone says, ‘Oh, just buy that stuff as you go!’ But really, when I get a blister I don’t want to run around town looking for band-aids and when I’m having an allergy attack I don’t want to search for a pharmacy. So I have a small stash of band aids, blister pads for hiking, Neosporin, anxiety meds, Emergen-C, a few allergy pills and antacids, etc.)

• 2 spare sunglasses (My thinking is, I know I can find sunglasses most places I’m traveling. But if it is a scientific fact that I will lose a pair within a month, and I already have two spares at home, why not bring them?)

• 1 visor

• 1 small crossbody purse for evenings

• 1 collapsible tupperware(I eat takeout frequently when I’m pulling long hours in front of the computer. I’m hoping this new addition to my packing list ensures I can cut down on styrofoam and single use containers!)

• 1 bag of food (Just some leftover granola and instant oatmeal I had at home, and Pedialyte packets to help fight altitude sickness. I’ll be happy as I use this stuff and my bag gets lighter!)

• 1 towel and 1 sarong

Gear and Electronics

If someone could create a universal charger that would juice up every camera, computer, and battery operated item in my bag I would fully kiss them on the mouth. This stuff is heavy and often stressful to travel with but it is how I run my business on the road.

• Canon 70-300mm lens(I don’t love this lens, but at this point I don’t want to shell out for an upgrade. I debated not even bringing it, but I think I’ll be happy I have it when wildlife spotting in the Amazon.)

• Eagle Creek Silk Undercover Bra Stash(I’ve never used any kind of money-belt before, but I think this little system for stashing credit cards and cash on long distance bus rides will be great!)

• Personal alarm from the 80’s (I laughed a little when my mom insisted I take this on my last solo backpacking trip, but it actually can be comforting when I’m walking down a street alone at night.)

Okay then! Ready to tell me I did everything wrong and I’m looking at several infractions with the packing police? Want to confess that you, too, are a wild overpacker and join my support group? Let’s do this thing in the comments!

I am a partner of Eagle Creek and was provided with complimentary items as part of that partnership. I was also provided with the following items in this post by the manufacturers: the waterproof iPhone case, the travel pillow, the Island Company luggage tag. Please note that all Amazon links in this post are affiliate links and I will earn a small commission from anything you buy. I truly appreciate your support in keeping this site running!

I tried to be the person with 4 shirts and 1 dress, really I did, but then I was spending SO MUCH time doing laundry. HUGE waste of time! I’d much rather bring a few extra pieces.

Your point about medicine is spot-on and I never understand the people that argue against bringing it. Surely you CAN buy that stuff as you go, but you’re usually not in the mental capacity to try to find the stuff when you need it, especially if it’s in another language. I needed cough drops in Ukraine and THAT ended up being a mini-circus.

Also… I brought all my favorite toiletries with me and I was SO MUCH happier for it.

So glad to know that I’m not alone in the “overpacking” category. Support group UNITE!
Last Christmas I took only a carry-on for our trip to Kauai and I was so impressed with myself, until I froze throughout the trip because I didn’t bring enough long sleeved shirts and pants (who would have thought that one can’t just get by in Hawaii with bikins and sundresses).
Anyways, for as long as you are going I am VERY impressed with you girl! I think you did a fabulous job with your packing.
By the way, I’m off to check out the travel cubes now, thanks for the great advice.Krystle recently posted..A Bucket List

Krystle I’ve only been on the road for about five days but let me tell you I am in LOVE with these darn cubes! You need some in your life! As for Hawaii being cold… we were bundled up in hats and scarves at the top of some of those mountains. Who would have thought.

Okay I seriously envy your packing skills. I know you say you say you’re an over packer but genuinely you are 10X better than I am hahaha. I’ll be taking a backpack, crossbody bag & large suitcase for my move abroad & refuse to take less… xJacquie @ Must for Wanderlust recently posted..The County in Fall… (Photo Edition)

As a chronic overpacker, I would like to join your club and also congratulate you on a job well done. When I went to Peru I was so.frickin.proud that I did it with a 45L backpack and little daypack… to this day I still have no idea how I managed that. I know I froze my ass off in Huaraz with no pants though.Rika | Cubicle Throwdown recently posted..My First Whale Shark!

You don’t know how many comments I get about the weight of my front pack. I do want to upgrade to a MacAir at some point as that would really lighten the load, but I don’t think it can handle the video editing I do. Le sigh…

Believe me Alex, you are not the only overpacker. I always have the additional problem that I need to take dressy type clothes for my NGO contracts, so I need to find T-Shirts, blouses etc. that are lightweight, can be worn for sightseeing and in an office environment. And if you go to South America of course you also need to take some warmer clothes, so I always take my trusted Icebreaker tops as baselayers. I have a 65l backpack, plus a daypack in which I put my laptop and camera gear etc.TammyOnTheMove recently posted..Flashback Friday: The Galapagos islands in photos

I occasionally have to dress up as well, or just want to, hence my “dressy top” category 🙂 Luckily for me those items weigh basically NOTHING. They are just silky nothings! But if I had to bring a blazer or something, forget it.

Ha, that was actually kind of fun! But I’m a weirdo. I used my mom’s guest room as my packing base camp for the week before departure and then on the final morning just piled, photographed, and packed!

I’d say you have everything you need there. Yes, girl, I’m on your team! I carried almost 40 kg of stuffs when I came to Europe, for my 2 years master course, included all the electronics and jackets and shoes and snow boots.. 😆aftri recently posted..Avatar versi John

Wow this is a great list though I’m really curious how much your 85L weighs up to! I’m now carrying about 14kg on my back for my 3 months in Peru, Ecuador and Bolivia and I kept thinking to myself who do I have so much stuffs. One thing I didn’t bring but really wish I did is a small vial of Chinese medicinal oil to keep bugs away and sooth bug bites!

Luckily, being a small girl, most of my clothes and shoes are very tiny as well 🙂 Unfortunately that means a smaller frame to carry it all with! And luckily without my dive gear I’m nowhere near filling all 85L.

Yet another awesome post; I’m the opposite of you on the packing front, but I love the humor and the fact that you own it—dude, when you’re traveling what’s most important is whatever makes you feel good and comfortable, and if that’s 2 styles of jeggings, then so be it.
A tip on the Lush solid shampoo (I love mine)– I find it gets mushy in the tin that Lush sells. The most awesome solution I’ve found is to keep it in a Hubble Bubble Gum dispenser (remember that gum that’s shaped like Scotch tape…yeah…) Maybe you won’t find it in South America, but I picked mine up in Romania, so it’s possible. And cheap. And it’s way easier to keep the shampoo bar dry and usable.

Awesome tip, thanks Lauren! I’m not sure if you are the one who suggested the solid shampoo to me but if so… THANK YOU! Day five and I’m loving it already. Great stuff. May try the conditioner next time I’m stateside…

This is totally not overpacking for a long trip!
Although I’m surprised you don’t travel with a Kindle. Good books are so hard to find while traveling. Carrying my Kindle with me totally changed my life, now I don’t mind all the waiting around for late buses, delayed flights, etc etc.Eliza recently posted..In the Land of Lanka with Zev’s Parents, Part 3

My mom has been trying to get me on the Kindle train as well! I don’t know why I’m so resistant to new technology. I think I just get overwhelmed at the thought of yet another electronic to try to not break/lose/get stolen!

No, and I’m very glad I didn’t! I considered it for a whole five seconds as we were spending the night in Aguas Calientes after and I knew I’d be desperate to reconnect. But I wouldn’t have wanted to carry it on my own back and the porters definitely aren’t expecting valuables in the packs they give you, so they are seriously slung around. My iPhone was more than sufficient for that one night in AC! Hope that helps!

Great post, I referred to it several times while packing for my own trip to peru, only 24 days and no jungle. When I saw that I had more clothes than you, that was a sign to reevaluate. I got myself down to 1 dress (knee length t-shirt dress from H&M), 1 skirt, 6 t-shirts (1 quick dry, 3 short sleeve, 2 with 3/4 sleeves), 3 pairs of pants (2 jeans, 1 capri athletic), 3 layering sweaters, 1 blazer (beige), and 2 jackets (a rainjacket from Northface and a jeans type earth-colored jacket).

The only item I’m still questioning as potentially unnecessary is the rain jacket. I’m taking an umbrella, isnt that sufficient?

I’m so glad this was helpful, Anastasia! Actually I would bring a light rain coat over an umbrella. I think it would be a better method to staying dry when you’re hiking or out on some kind of activity. Hope that helps!

Hey Alex,
I’m so glad I just found your blog, amazing packing tips!! I’m heading to Ecuador in two weeks but I’ll be spending my month and a half working with animals in the rainforest. Struggling to try and adapt to the inevitable muddy, wet conditions I’ll be living in. I guess layers is the best solution?

I would recommend quick drying materials, as the rainforest is so humid nothing ever really wants to dry out! Also, I’m sure you know you’ll need long pants and sleeves, so I’d go for lightweight and breathable stuff so you don’t keel over from heat! And a light rainjacket, of course. Good luck and enjoy!

Hi Alex, I will be hiking next month on the Salkantay trek with Llama. I have been looking for pack lists for October and came across yours. Did you bring a jacket other than your Lululemon? I’m trying to figure out what I need, how cold the weather may be at night and During the day this time of year. I know it’s their spring/summer season so not sure I’ll need down. Any suggestions will be great. Thank you!

Hey Vi! I bought the knockoff salmon-colored Northface that you’ll see in many of my photos from the trek on the cheap in Cusco. If you look at my budget breakdown for the Inca Trail (in my final post about logistics and tips) you’ll find it included in that list. Hope that helps!

Hi – wondering what sort of bag you pack your electronics in? The ones with all the cushioning are so…bulky and I just find them cumbersome. I was hoping to find a good laptop/camera bag combo. Do you travel with a 15″ MacBook? Have you thought of switching to a tablet to make things lighter? I really want to get less heavy and more mobile.

I love your site, all of your advice and your spirit. Thank you for everything and Happy Birthday!

Hey Anne! I definitely wouldn’t be able to do all the work I need to do on a tablet — my laptop is definitely non-negotiable baggage 🙂 I just use a generic laptop sleeve and slide it into the laptop pocket of the Eagle Creek backpack listed in this post. My cameras go in there too! I forgo a case for my dSLR — like you said, too bulky, and it’s super banged up already anyway!

Hi Alex, love your list! Well done. I am doing the Choquequirao Trek from Cachora and then on to Machu Pichu in June and want to know about jackets? What is best to take? Have you any experience about weather there? Any tips on solar charges for cameras and or phones? Thought to maybe take only iPhone for pictures but then need to charge? Hope to hear more about your trip too? Where are you now?

Hey Andrienette! I did take a solar charger on the Inca Trail but it was too cloudy for it to work. You might be interested in my Inca Trail posts — you can find all my many many Peru posts here. Let me know if there’s anything you didn’t find there!

your blog is amazing! I have a question for you ;D I’m choosing my backpack but it isn’t easy to decide. I don’t know if it’s better a Ospray Xenith 75, Xenith 88 or Aether 70.
What Size Backpack Do I Need for 1 month of backpacking?

Hey Andrea, that’s hard to say! How much do you like to pack and how much can you carry? 🙂 That all factors in. Personally I travel with an 80L and can’t imagine carrying anything bigger. Perhaps the 75?

Wow, am I the only person in the world that does back-packing type trips with a big suitcase? (I blame it on the dive gear too…)
I’ve travelled through Central America and South America several times, I’ve thought of getting a backpack many of those times, but I just cannot imagine myself walking any sort of distance with 20kg on my back!Maki recently posted..Leyenda y herencia de la Bodega El Legado (Spanish Version)